Improvement in gates



R. H. HUDGIN. Improvement in Gates Patented Feb. 13, 1872.

7 \m' an M 17/61" 540? UNITED STATES ROBERT H. HUDGIN, OF FAIRFIELD, CANADA.

IMPROVEMENT IN GATES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 123,700, dated February 13, 1872.

To whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT H. HUDGIN, of Fairfield, inthe county of Kent and Dominion of Canada, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Farm-Gates; and I do declare that the following is a true and accurate description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon and being a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspectiveof my gate closed. Fig. 2 is a front view of the face part of the bottom hinge, fastened to a section of the post. Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-section of the same on the line 00 ain Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan of the other part of the hinge, to be secured to or near the heel. or rear bottom corner of the .gate, and so formed as to partially encircle the cylindrical sections of the face part of the hinge. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a notched block and pin inserted between the projecting ends of the brace-supports of the gate, immediately below the metallic cap, while the pin passes through the head-block, for the purpose of compelling the opening-poles, when suitably turned, to operate the latch of the gate. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the latch, and devices for operating thesame, detached from the gate. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the opening-poles, showing the con struction of the hook at its inner end. Fig. 8 is a top plan of the cap or plate with which the hooks upon'the ends of the opening-poles engage.

Like letters indicate like parts in each figure.

The nature of this invention relates to an improved method of constructing, hanging, and operating farm or carriage gates, so arranged that they may be opened and closed without being obliged to alight from thevehicle or horse; that they may easily be shifted so. as to swing at any desirable height from the ground; that the posts are not required to be placed in the ground; that will be economical in construction and durable in wear. The invention consists: first, in the peculiar construction and operation of the latch and devices for operating the same; second, in the combination and arrangement of the various operative parts of the gate, as more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawing, A represents a gate, formed by the horizontal bars or boards a, secured between the vertical bars I) in the usual manner. B is alatch-bar, suspended near its front end by the wire a, and by the upright strip 0 at the rear end, so that said latch-bar will have a free horizontal motion between the upright bars I). This upright strip of' board 0 is suitably pivoted between the suspension-braces, immediately in rear of the gate, and between it and the block to which the suspension bars or braces are secured. These suspension braces are so fully described in their construction and operation in a patent issued to me on the 24th day of January, 1871, that I deem a particular description of them in this connection unnecessary, as I design this invention to be an improvement upon the farm-gate as secured to me in said Letters Patent. The headblock'and metallic cap, by means of which the gate is suspended at the top of the post, is also fully described in said Letters Patent. Between the rear ends of these suspension-bars, and in rear of the head-block, is placed the notched block D, the front end of which terminates in a rod or pin, which is inserted through a suitable hole, not shown, in the head-block, far enough to have the end of the rod or pin rest against the strip 0. E are metallic hooks, secured to the inner ends of the opening-poles. These hooks are of the form shown, and the vertical terminations are loosely inserted through proper holes d in the metallic plate G, which is secured to the top ends of the suspension-braces. By means of these hooks and the opening-poles F a leverage is obtained from either side to open the gate in the opposite direction. The

vertical ends of the hooks E, which project through the plate G when either of the opening-poles are partially rotated toward the rear or from the operator, engage against the end of the notched block 1), thereby forcing the pin or rod e against the strip (3, which, being fulcrumed at its pivoting-point hereinbefore described, withdraws the latch-bar to the rear from its engagement with the post H.

To open this gate, we will suppose the-operator to approach it on horseback. He grasps the end of the opening-pole, gives the same a partial rotation from him, and then pulls it directly toward him, when the latch will be withdrawn and the gate opened until it strikes one of the posts I, when any suitable fastening or hook, f, secured to the latch-bar, will engage with any suitable catch, g, on said part, and hold the gate open. After passing through, the operator touches the trigger J, slightly throwing back the latch-bar, when the hook f will be disengaged, and the gate will close without further attention.

K is a notched drop or its equivalent, secured to the gate by the cleats h in such a manner that the drop may have a free vertical movement between the cleats and gate When not required, the notch in the drop rests upon the top of the upper cleat. When it is desired to hold the gate at any desired position, partially open, the drop is disengaged from the upper eleat, and effectually accomplishes its purpose. L is'a face-hinge, secured to the face of the post M. Its outer edges are formed of two'vertical cylindrical sections, i, secured to the proper base 70, by means of which this part of the hinge is secured to the post, and which also forms a base against which the extreme projections of the forked portion of the hinge rests when the gate is opened. This section, marked N, is bifurcated and forked, as shown, and is secured near the heel of the gate. As soon as the gate approaches its open position, the extreme projections of the forks on which the gate rests at bottom steps on and bears against the square edge of the base, and are released from their bearing upon the cylindrical section, thereby throwing the gate more out of plumb, and causing it, when released as above described, to start with a quicker impulse to resume its closed position. The posts I and M are secured together by boards or rails on and braces 12, and the post M is further secured rigidly to a section of board or rail fence, 0, in line .with'the gate when closed. This method of securing the parts makes them to be set upon the top of the ground, and the post M cannot be swayed in any direction, the weight of the adjoining sections holding it firmly in place. The inner face of the latch-post H. is provided with two vertical and parallel convex surfaces, 0, with a small space, 1, between the base of the inner edges of said surfaces, and 'the end of the latch-bar of the'gate holds the gate closed by engagement in said space 1'. By this arrange ment of the face of the latch-post, the gate is prevented from being injured by concussion of its latch against a catch with a square shoulder. In the drawing this post is sustained in position by the sections of worm or rail fence, the ends of which are rigidly secured to said post, and prevent it from being displaced without the necessity of setting the same in the ground.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with a gate, the latch-bar B, suspended by the wire a and strip 0, and the notched block and rod or pin D, when arranged to be operated, as, described, by means of the hooks E on the opening-poles F, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In combination with the gate A, hinged to or upon the post M, the bars F, the hooks E, and the metallic plates G, substantially as and for the purpose shown.

ROBERT E. HUDGIN.

Witnesses:

Tnos. S. SPRAGUE, H. F. EBERTS. 

